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Author
Topic: Lipoatrophy and cold winter weather (Read 8526 times)

Ah, the return of winter. I just thought I'd let out a primal scream and state that, after our first night of near freezing temperatures, and though it's now only 55įF/12įC, at even the acceptable inside temp of 69.7įF in my apartment I have so little left of the normal layer of fat on my decrepit HIV infected badly mitochondrialized body that I feel like I need to wear woolen mittens and Jennifer Beals inspired leg warmers.

This situation is exactly why I moved from Virginia to Arizona three years ago. During the winters I could not get warm internally...whether outdoors or inside. I feel the chill very easily...even sometimes here in the winter. I asked my physician at the time and was told it was due to my not having any "padding" (duh.) And often some of my toes would go numb for hours, though that might have been due to circulatory etiology as I smoked then.

So my trade-off for the moderate winters in Arizona is enduring the 200 degree heat June through September

my Raynaud's disease (or "phenomenon", to be more exact) has also begun its annual flare up. I will spend the next 5months or so with attractive purple/blue extremities etc - a perfect match to one of my favourite jumpers.

Before I got facial filler my facial muscles would ache when I went out in cold weather. It's a little better with the filler but I still can get achy cold easily, especially when swimming in cold water.

even here in the nice Texas weather we have come to have cool mornings (45 to 50) so when I go out to walk in the morning( for 30 min or so ) it is with long sleeve shirt with lined windbreaker and neck scarf...keep hands in pockets except when feeding the ducks but have to have hot cocoa /tea/ coffee when I get back in house......It will probably get much worse soon ..

Sorry you are feeling the cold already. Wretched pussy, BTW. What ARE you going to do in 2 months from now? Let me know if you need some flannel pj's--I'll ship some over to ya. Not designer labels but manly stuff from Cabellas or LL Bean. Confession: When I was just a lad I used to immediately search out the mens underwear section of Sears and Roebuck catalogs (when the coast was clear). I've had many good looking men throughout the years and now I'm having to experience the longjohns.

Gymrat: I hadn't thought of that before you mentioned it. Seems like I too can tolerate the cold better in my face since the fillers. I have also noticed that when I get too near an open flame for too long a spell, I become concsious of the product in my cheeks. Kind of a tickle in there.

Oh, I'm a bit better at the height of winter. When I go outside I'm very good at bundling up, and I own an excellent Marmot water repellent down-filled ski coat. One of the best things I ever bought, and it's last me almost a decade now. And of course, being the uber-accessories queen that we all know and love, I have an extensive collection of woolen and pashmina cashmere scarves, mittens, etc. One of the other good items are my wool-lined black leather police man gloves which I bought at The Leatherman on Christopher Street... they've also endured a decade of use, though I guess I should replace them at some point.

It's just at home that I get cold, and only my hands and feet. I could use a new pair of house slippers. For some reason I like just wearing socks. I even wear socks in bed when it's cold, even under a down comforter with a flannel duvet.

Iron.... take iron it helps keep you warm feeling. Also especially after this past summer.. cold weather is a relief.... tonight were going to get down to 32 degrees... it warms up in the day to 70... this year we may get snow... usally an inch will close the city for 2 to 3 days... Were due... I generally do not turn on the heat and if I do I keep the thermostat set for 60... keep warm folks...

This is why I love it here! Mini is always complaining that she is really cold even when eveyone else is sweating bullets! I always thought it was just because she was being goofy. I know that sounds stupid, but she'd have on a new coat and not want to take it off...that kind of "kid" thing. She is on Kaletra and we are in the mountainous north. Does the lipoatrophy leave you more suseptable to getting frost bite? She loves to play in the snow. Should we rethink letting her? I'll start another thread to ask all my other questions.

Let her play in the snow..She shouldn't miss out on the fun, and try to treat her as if shewas normal..

I know its easier said than done, but never take away what might make a child laugh.Laughter is the best medicine of all...

Please just keep her in layers of clothing and her hands covered and warm...She shestarts to get cold, ..Bring her in and give her some hot cocoa with marshmellows, and I am sure she will feel as good as any other child...

JMO... Try the best you can, not to take away her childhood by being overly protective...

Logged

Live Love Laugh and dance like no ones watching.Laughter is the best medicine, so try to have a laugh everyday..Even if your not feeling your best, think about something that was funny at one time in your life and work with it.. )

We bought her (and her sibs) these really cool gloves that go all the way up to the elbow. It's elastic at the elbow to hold them up and velcro at the wrist to make them fit snuggly. The whole thing is water/weather proof. They were expensive - $20/pair, but I wont' have frozen fingers. We try very hard to keep her life as "normal" as possible. We just want to do it as safetly as possible .